National capital saw 6% rise in crime in 2018: Delhi Police

New Delhi: A total of 2,36,476 cases of crime were reported in the national capital in 2018, up from 2,23,077 in 2017 — a six per cent rise, according to Delhi Police’s annual press report released on Wednesday.

In all, 1,289 cases were registered under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) during the year as against 1,243 in 2017 per lakh population.

The yardstick of crime per lakh of population, which is used worldwide to compare crime rate, has been applied, the report said.

“Number of crimes in Delhi under all major heads have shown a declining trend except 3.25 per cent increase in murder cases and 36 per cent rise in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, reflecting fairness of registration of such offences,” Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik said releasing the report.

Citing reasons for increase in the number of crimes, Patnaik said mandatory registration of FIRs, including those for missing children, as per directions of the Supreme Court, added to the list.

“Besides, the Delhi Police also launched mobile and web applications through which public can easily lodge FIRs online for theft of motor vehicles and other such properties without visiting police stations.”

As per the data in the report, fewer crimes of serious nature took place in 2018 as compared to the previous year.

It shows that 36 dacoities took place in 2017, which came down to 13 in 2018. Similarly, 615 attempt to murder cases were filed in 2017, which were 515 in 2018.

The robbery cases were 2,889 in 2017 and 2,307 in 2018; riots cases were 50 in 2017 which lowered to 23 in 2018; and 2,059 rape cases were registered in 2017 which came down to 2,043 in 2018.

However, the number of cases of murder and kidnapping for ransom saw a little rise.

As against 462 murder cases in 2017, 477 such cases were reported in 2018. The number of kidnapping for ransom cases were 14 in 2017 which increased to 19 in 2018.

The total number of heinous crimes reported in 2017 was 6,125, which stood at 5,407 for 2018, the report showed.

The Delhi Police, however, arrested 168 rewarded criminals with bounties between Rs 5,000 to Rs 15 lakh. Total 15 criminals were arrested under Maharastra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) in 2018 as compare to 11 in 2017.